Fire Fighting Operations

Fire fighting requires a special combination of tactics, experience and teamwork. Training is paramount. Knowledge of fire suppression techniques, building construction and fire behavior is one aspect that training provides. Hands-on training and practice is most important to success in fighting fires.

Experience plays a very important role in fire fighting whether career or volunteer, as does working as a team. The Getzville Fire Company, as do many volunteer fire companies, rely on the rich experience of many of it’s veteran members and officers to mentor and train newer firefighters. Along with this excellent resource our firefighters train with other fire companies, attend State firefighter courses equal to and on par with career fighters, and take advantage of many other training opportunities available. With the experience and team work built from training comes the confidence necessary to fight fires effectively.

The ability to size up a scene and assess a situation is an important skill for all firefighters and is a skill that develops from training and experience. Fire chiefs and officers must apply this skill upon arrival at a scene and the continuously throughout an incident.

Fire Officers in charge of an incident must observe the scene in front of them, assess the situation, calculate the resources available, and decide if more need to be called in, plan and implement an attack on the fire. Firefighters, approach any fire with the priority of saving or protecting lives first, protecting or saving property second, and doing all of this with as little damage as possible. These priorities are always in mind as firefighters carry out their duties.

Effective fire fighting is as much about resources as it is about using available and experienced firefighters, size up, tactics, and hard work. Resources needed, particularly in a large fire, are fire apparatus, numbers of firefighters, and a ready water supply. Among the apparatus responding to large fires are pumpers, aerial ladder trucks, heavy rescue and chief's vehicles. Another important resource to consider are fire police and law enforcement for crowd control and traffic management. Large fires may also require the assistance of additional fire companies from the area. This assistance referred to as “mutual aid” is an important resource used by most fire companies, paid and volunteer in the area. Getzville Fire Company is proud to associate, train with and participate in mutual aid agreements with many fire companies and departments in the vicinity. Emergency medical units including ambulances for the care of fire victims and firefighters who may need looking after are critical resources at any larger incident. Heavy equipment such as back hoes and and bulldowsers may be needed should a building become unstable as a result of the fire.

Thankfully, most “calls” responded to by the Getzville Fire Company are small or routine. Damage caused by most fires is often minimal.  This is due in part to working smoke detectors, fire protection systems, and timely caring response our volunteers. However fire should never be taken lightly. Our volunteers take great pride in what they do. No matter the circumstances or the seriousness of any fire, our member firefighters are trained, equipped and ready to meet the challenge.